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List of forests in Ireland facts for kids

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Ireland's forests and woodlands now cover about 700,000 hectares. This is a big increase from the mid-1980s. Back then, the EU started giving money to private landowners, mostly farmers. This encouraged them to plant more trees. Today, about 45% of these forests are owned by private people. The other 55% belong to Coillte, which is Ireland's state forestry company.

For the first 75 years of the 1900s, the Irish government mostly managed all the forests. By 1985, forests covered about 420,000 hectares. When the first people arrived in Ireland about 12,500 years ago, the island was almost completely covered in thick forests. These were mainly oak and pine trees. However, over many centuries, a lot of trees were cut down. By the end of the 1800s, only about 69,000 hectares of forest were left. This was just 1% of Ireland's land!

Most of the new trees planted in Ireland are not native to the country. The main one is called Sitka spruce. Planting too many non-native trees can harm the local plants and animals that naturally live there.

Where are Ireland's Forests?

Forests and woodlands are found all over Ireland. Here are some notable places listed by province and county.

Ulster

County Antrim
County Armagh
County Cavan
County Donegal
County Down
County Fermanagh
County Londonderry
County Monaghan
County Tyrone
  • Drum Manor Forest Park

Munster

County Cork
County Kerry

Leinster

County Carlow
  • Oak Park Forest Park
County Dublin
County Meath
  • Mullaghmeen Forest
County Wicklow

Connacht

County Galway
County Leitrim
  • Glenfarne Demesne
County Sligo

See also

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